Writing with Pride
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Recommended Media
Web Resources: Overview
• 13 LGBTQ WRITERS YOU SHOULD READ: https://www.britannica.com/list/9-queer-writers-you-should-read
• A to Z LIST OF NOTED LGBTQ WRITERS: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_LGBTQ_writers
• “MUST READ” LIST: https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/g39598614/best-books-by-lgbtq-writers/
• 10 TRAILBLAZERS: https://www.tatler.com/gallery/10-authors-you-might-not-have-realised-were-lgbtqia
• 20 LGBTQ AUTHORS: https://archive.bookstr.com/list/20-queer-authors-from-history-who-you-need-to-know/
• 5 AUTHORS WHO MADE HISTORY: https://diva-magazine.com/2024/02/20/5-lgbtqia-authors-who-made-history/
James Baldwin
Rita Mae Brown
George M. Johnson
Web Resources: Print
• JAMES BALDWIN: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Baldwin• JAMES BALDWIN: https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/introduction-james-baldwin• BALDWIN INTERVIEW: https://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/2994/the-art-of-fiction-no-78-james-baldwin• 10 THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW: https://www.arts.gov/stories/blog/2024/ten-things-you-may-not-know-about-james-baldwin • RITA MAE BROWN: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rita_Mae_Brown • BROWN OVERVIEW: https://provincetownindependent.org/arts-minds/2024/10/16/rita-mae-brown-is-funny-even-when-she-fights/ • BROWN OVERVIEW: https://www.sbc.edu/live/news/3263-bestselling-author-rita-mae-brown-encourages-trust# • BROWN INTERVIEW: https://virginialibrariesjournal.org/articles/10.21061/valib.v50i1.925 • GEORGE M. JOHNSON WEBSITE: https://iamgmjohnson.com/• GEORGE M. JOHNSON: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_M._Johnson_(writer) • JOHNSON ON DIVERSITY: https://www.bucknell.edu/news/author-george-m-johnson-speaks-about-importance-diverse-storytelling • JOHNSON INTERVIEW: https://www.buzzfeed.com/terrycarter/george-m-johnson-black-history-month-interview • LARRY KRAMER: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Kramer• KRAMER NYTIMES OBITUARY: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/27/us/larry-kramer-dead.html• KRAMER OVERVIEW: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/postscript/larry-kramer-had-the-courage-to-act-on-his-fear • KRAMER NYPL OVERVIEW: https://www.nypl.org/blog/2022/06/24/remembering-larry-kramer-harnessed-anger-propel-creativity-action • KRAMER UNITED NATIONS OVERVIEW: https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2020/may/20200528_PS_Kramer • AUDRE LORDE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audre_Lorde • LORDE POETRY: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/audre-lorde• LORDE OVERVIEW: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/audre-lorde • THE AUDRE LORDE PROJECT: https://alp.org/about• LORDE (SMITHSONIAN): https://nmaahc.si.edu/audre-lorde • ARMISTEAD MAUPIN: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armistead_Maupin • MAUPIN WEBSITE: https://www.armisteadmaupin.com/home• MAUPIN NYTIMES INTERVIEW: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/07/books/review/armistead-maupin-by-the-book-interview.html • MAUPIN’S MOVE TO LONDON: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/feb/24/look-at-your-country-its-amazing-armistead-maupin-on-moving-to-london
Larry Kramer
Audra Lorde
Armistead Maupin
Web Resources: Video
• BALDWIN CENTENNIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuwx86B9TDE
• BALDWIN TEDEd TALK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKku0AfTs0c
• BALDWIN 1969 INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWwOi17WHpE
• BROWN INVERVIEW 50th ANNIVERSARY OF RUBYFRUIT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7w1DC2GZ7Q8
• BROWN: 2024 INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQMxEvJ-sIw
• JOHNSON INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRXKU6otlWI
• JOHNSON INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG48cFoEags
• JOHNSON OVERVIEW (BANNING BOOKS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVw2U_IgpMQ
• KRAMER 2006 CBS INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVw2U_IgpMQ
• KRAMER ON THE NORMAL HEART: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVq0FcARYTM
• KRAMER ON AIDS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avITb-TZWOQ
• KRAMER SHORT OVERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_rVxCwTKuc
• LORDE SHORT BIO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_rVxCwTKuc
• LORDE SHORT BIO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQlClebaPdM
• LORDE 1982 AUDIO INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4rDL-xZ8N0
• LORDE OVERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4rDL-xZ8N0
• MAUPIN DOCUMENTARY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0kGn5xK6OY
• MAUPIN INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc7HmmdW3gE
• MAUPIN INTERVIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ceoERhJ-Ew
• MAUPIN AND McKELLEN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqyzcMY9tIQ
Web Resources: 6 Books
- GIOVANNI’S ROOM: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni%27s_Room
- GIOVANNI’S ROOM: https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/giovannis-room/
- RUBYFRUIT JUNGLE: https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/rubyfruit/
- RUBYFRUIT JUNGLE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubyfruit_Jungle
- ALL BOY’S AREN’T BLUE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Boys_Aren%27t_Blue
- ALL BOY’S AREN’T BLUE: https://www.blinkist.com/en/books/all-boys-arent-blue-en
- THE NORMAL HEART: https://www.enotes.com/topics/normal-heart
- THE NORMAL HEART: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Normal_Heart
- SISTER OUTSIDER: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sister_Outsider
- SISTER OUTSIDER: https://www.enotes.com/topics/sister-outsider
- TALES OF THE CITY: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_of_the_City
- TALES OF THE CITY (miniseries): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_of_the_City_(1993_miniseries)
Videos Used in Program
BALDWIN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZPmT3lk6cUBROWN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv-dxWPFPBQJOHNSON: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRXKU6otlWI&t=1sKRAMER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVq0FcARYTM LORDE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diHzbQNyO2k MAUPIN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zijt1Djvc4
Other Resources
• BALDWIN BIO (Chicago Public Library): https://www.chipublib.org/james-baldwin-biography/
• GIOVANNI’S ROOM VIDEO (William Dozier): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3cGRa-KxQM&t=93s
• RITA MAE BROWN BIO (More Than Our Childhoods): https://www.morethanourchildhoods.org/stories/rita-mae-brown/
• RUBYFRUIT JUNGLE OVERVIEW VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j67skVPJK6Y
• GEORGE M. JOHNSON BIO (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_M._Johnson_(writer)
• GEORGE M. JOHNSON INTERVIEW VIDEO (Tamron Hall): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRXKU6otlWI&t=1s
• LARRY KRAMER OVERVIEW (New York Public Library): https://www.nypl.org/blog/2022/06/24/remembering-larry-kramer-harnessed-anger-propel-creativity-action
• THE NORMAL HEART (New York Times Video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVq0FcARYTM
• AUDRE LORDE BIO (National Women’s History Museum): https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/audre-lorde
• SISTER OUTSIDER VIDEO (Gender Equality Network): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkDv5vKXn54
• ARMISTEAD MAUPIN BIO (Wikipedia, e-Notes, and IMDB): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armistead_Maupin
• TALES OF THE CITY OVERVIEW VIDEO (James Ward): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPi_4-SK4Tk&t=12s
Recent LGBTQ+ Writers
Prominent 21st-century LGBTQ+ writers have reshaped modern literature across genres. From blockbuster romances to Pulitzer-winning fiction, trailblazers like Casey McQuiston, Torrey Peters, and Ocean Vuong have topped global bestseller lists and received international critical acclaim.
Fiction & Romance• Casey McQuiston: Bestselling author of the modern queer romance Red, White & Royal Blue. • Torrey Peters: First openly trans finalist for the Women's Prize for Fiction, celebrated for her bestselling novel Detransition, Baby.• T.J. Klune: Known for mainstream fantasy hits like the national bestseller The House in the Cerulean Sea.• Malinda Lo: Prominent YA author whose 21st-century historical fiction novel Last Night at the Telegraph Club won the National Book Award.
Literary & Poetry• Ocean Vuong: Acclaimed poet and novelist whose debut book, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, was an instant New York Times bestseller.• Hanya Yanagihara: Best known globally for her sweeping, emotionally charged bestseller A Little Life.• Carmen Maria Machado: Critically acclaimed for her genre-bending short stories and the memoir In the Dream House.
Graphic Novels & Memoirs• Alison Bechdel: Highly influential graphic novelist who penned the bestselling memoir Fun Home.
Top Selling LGBTQ+ Writers: 2026
1. Casey McQuiston
• Notable 2026 Works: Red, White & Royal Blue: The Private Correspondence (Released Dec 2026)
• Why They Are Bestselling: The undisputed monarch of queer romantic comedy, McQuiston returned to their beloved RW&RB universe with a massive holiday release, exploring Alex and Henry's lives over 17 years through personal correspondence. Their backlist titles like One Last Stop also remain steady sellers.
2. TJ Klune
• Notable 2026 Works: We Burned So Bright
• Why They Are Bestselling: A Lambda Literary Award-winning fixture, Klune shifted to a standalone novel about an older queer couple taking an end-of-the-world road trip. His consistently brilliant world-building and positive queer representation make his books automatic bestsellers on debut.
3. Rachel Reid
• Notable 2026 Works: The Shots You Take
• Why They Are Bestselling: Reid’s hockey romances are massive hits. She took home major honors at the 2026 Astra Book Awards for Best LGBTQ+ Book for this second-chance romance about retired NHL players.
4. Alice Oseman
• Notable 2026 Works: Heartstopper series (Continued success)
• Why They Are Bestselling: The reigning titan of LGBTQ+ young adult fiction, Oseman’s graphic novels and prose continue to top bestseller charts, driven both by a dedicated fan base and concurrent visual media adaptations.
Other Notable & Emerging Bestsellers
• Martha Wells: Continuing her reign in sci-fi with new entries in The Murderbot Diaries series.
• Aiden Thomas: A staple in Latine queer fantasy, drawing massive crowds for their new 2026 title, Espíritu.
• Rasheed Newson: The television producer and writer found major bestseller list success with his historical queer thriller, There's Only One Sin in Hollywood.